Mold for .380 & 9mm

[Sky King]

I have been casting for my M27 .357, Superblack Hawk .44 Mag and Colt Gold Cup .45 for years using lineotype lead (I have about 200lbs left). I just purchased a Bersa Thunder .380 and would like to start casting for that and my Colt Combat Commander in 9mm. Any suggestions as to what mold would work for both?

[runfiverun]

take a good look at that 357 mold if its 150 or below it just might work for your 9mm
if not maybe an 100gr boolit would work for both

[JIMinPHX]

For the .380, you really don’t want to be going much over 100-grains. Lee makes a little 102 grain .356” round nose mold that worked well for me in a PPK. That Mold should be good in a full house 9 also. I have good luck with a 100-grain round nose in a 9-Largo. Just slug your barrels first. Some of the 9s run a little big in actual groove diameter. You might need to go up to a .358” diameter mold if you have a fat barrel.

You might want to try something a little softer than Lino. I got good results @ 13BNH, which is just about the same as wheel weights.

[Sky King]

I'll try the Lee 102 and I never realized that my 9mm can go as high as .358, I've been using Serria and Hornady that are .355. Any clue as to what Top Punch would fit the Lee 102 to use in my Lyman 450 sizer?

[John D]

Lyman top punch #311 should work.

[Will]

The 311 punch puts a small ring on my 356-102. I use it but I think the 430 would be better.

[JIMinPHX]

I put a dab of quick dry epoxy in my top punches & then push a greased boolit into the goo & hold it there until it sets up. That way, I get a perfect fit. Wax might work too for temporary use.


With that boolit, 3 grains of Bullseye is a comfortable & accurate charge for that caliber in a small gun like the Bersa.

[HORNET]

I had a .380 that liked the Lee TL-125-TC with healthy doses of Blue Dot. You've got to watch for the cases to start bulging at the feed ramp though. I was surprised when I chrono'd them and backed off a bit more for comfort...still had an interesting power factor.

[Sky King]

I like that quick dry epoxy suggestion

[Pilgrim]

I had success with the Lyman moulds. I forget the mould numbers but both were truncated cone boolits. The .380 boolit was 100 gr. while the 9mm mould was ~125 +/- IIRC. Pilgrim

[Ken]

We cast for the Bersa 380, I have an extra NIB Lee 2 cavity mould , I think it is the 102 they mentioned above, I would sell if you are interested

[Sky King]

If it is the Lee 356-102, I'm interested.

[Cherokee]

For the 9mm, I suggest the Lee 122 gr truncated cone bullet, or similar bullet mold from Lyman, RCBS, Saeco.

[trickyasafox]

no one said the lee 105 swc? really? I thought that would get mention. I've never played with it in 380 or 9mm (though I had a 2 cavity a while ago and casted up a bunch) I never loaded them. I know some people got them to run well in 9. seems like the weight is on for 380.

I'm with cherokee- the lee standard lube TC in 9mm is nice.

[JIMinPHX]

no one said the lee 105 swc? really? I thought that would get mention.

Is that a standard item or was it a group buy special?

[GabbyM]

the Lee 105 is standard. Comes in a six cavity flavor too. For some foolish reason Lee stopped making six cavity 356-102-1R. The Lee 358-105-SWC might take up to much case capasity in a .380?? For my daughters 380 I've a discontinued Lyman 356632 100 grain TC with a huge meplate. I plan to heat treat some to Saeco #10 then load them up to 1450fps in my 9X19 to see what kind of splat they make.

[mooman76]

I used the Lee 105g SWC in 9mm and 380. Good round for both. I also use it in 38 and light 357 loads too. God little plinker and accurate!

[HeavyMetal]

I've used the Lee 105 in several 9's and one ppk's works good. According to my boss( he loads 380) I just supply boolits as needed.

Says the 105 shoots where he looks and thats all he wants. BY the way mine weigh a bit more in WW about 109.

Think it's a good choice for both guns.

[Will]

I use both the 102 & 105 with 2.4 gr RedDot. My 380 slugs at .358 and these sized to that will group better than factory.

[Blkpwdrbuff]

SkyKing,
Try and find a discontinued Lyman 356632, you won't be dissapointed.
I got mine a few years ago on evil-bay from a sporting goods store closeout.
It functions great in my elcheapo HI-Point .380.
My 9 yr old son uses it regulary to shoot jackrabbits. It's his favorite bunny load.

Blkpwdrbuff:castmine:

[GabbyM]

Blkpwdrbuff
Having just evilbayed my Lyman 356632 two cavity a few weeks ago. I've cast up a pile but have yet to load any. If they'll pop rabbits they must shoot straight?

I tried to bid up a 4 cavity but it went for three figures.

I could see myself honcho for a group buy of Lee six cavity moulds for this boolit if I like the way it shoots. Then stretch the base out with a Saeco style light bevel for a 130 grain 9X19 load.

Balisti-Cast has the H&G 318 as their 918 with large meplate in 125 grain wieght. I've never saw one but again could not stay in the bidding for a used mould that went for more money than Balisti-Cast will make a new one for. $185 for a four cavity.

Would be nice to hear from someone whom has shot or seen one of these shot.

The Lyman 356632 is profiled much like the Sierra HP bullets. So they should feed and shoot well.

[Ghugly]

I put a dab of quick dry epoxy in my top punches & then push a greased boolit into the goo & hold it there until it sets up. That way, I get a perfect fit. Wax might work too for temporary use.


With that boolit, 3 grains of Bullseye is a comfortable & accurate charge for that caliber in a small gun like the Bersa.

I just want to say "thank you."

My son picked up a nickel plated Russian Makarov, one of the .380s that B-West imported a while back. What a sweet little gun! Anyway, I've never loaded for a .380 before and that sounded like a good starting point so, I ordered a Lee 356-102-1R mould. I tumble lubed a bunch of ACWW boolits and loaded them as cast over the 3gr of Bullseye.

That was the easiest time I've ever had, "working up" a load! All I can say is, "I wouldn't change a thing." The little Mak functioned perfectly, no leading, groups were about half the size of the 3 different commercial loads he'd bought, and the grin on my son's face had to be seen to be believed.

Again, Thank You.